


Funeral Pyres

by pinkyapples



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: "Worn out shoes" inspired fanfiction, Alternate Universe - Dystopia, Alternate Universe - Zombie Apocalypse, Gen, Gift Fic, Humour, Inspired by Fanfiction
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-09
Updated: 2017-04-09
Packaged: 2018-10-16 09:37:01
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,477
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10568604
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pinkyapples/pseuds/pinkyapples
Summary: There is something out there, something supernatural, something that is…friendly?





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [moonstalker24](https://archiveofourown.org/users/moonstalker24/gifts).
  * Inspired by [Worn Out Shoes](https://archiveofourown.org/works/7564009) by [moonstalker24](https://archiveofourown.org/users/moonstalker24/pseuds/moonstalker24). 



> This work is inspired by the dystopia world created in "Worn Out Shoes" .  
> For some reason this idea of another supernatural helping the survivors of Beacon Hills came to me and this is the resulting story.  
> I'm not quite sure of the etiquette for gifting stories on AO3 but know that no offense is meant. I hope you don't mind me playing in your sandbox.  
> Teen Wolf and Characters aren't mine. Characters and "Worn Out Shoes" dystopia isn't mine. Only thing that is is the OMC and even he isn't really original.  
> Google Maps & Search Engine are to blame if geography and ice-cream label incorrect.

Funeral Pyres:

  
There is something out there, something supernatural, something that is…friendly?

 

They notice only after the first funeral pyre is lit. Smoke rises from the North Eastern boundary of the town. Scouts are sent out and find a huge funeral pyre, made from the decapitated bodies of zombies and a smaller pyre made from their heads.  
The scouting party returns to the compound and reports. They keep an uneasy watch but nothing crosses the early warning system and there are more pressing matters to attend.  
They are still planning to raid the Hospital.

________________

The second pyre is in the parking lot adjacent to the Hospital and while smaller than the first has attracted the attention of the surrounding zombies. Unfortunately for them whatever or whoever built the pyre has dispatched them as well.  
The pack, still recovering from the fallout of the Hospital raid and loss of Issac, are to numb to care about the origins of this unknown and unexpected ally. Chris sets up surveillance around the hospital. Stiles wards the area. They have what they need from the hospital for the moment but it may be needed in the future.

___________________

The third funeral pyre is opposite the Sheriff’s Station. Like the hospital there are decapitated zombies around the main pyre. Chris and Stiles set up similar surveillance to that around the hospital. Currently obsolete, if Scott’s “repopulation” plans come to fruition, sometime in the future the station will be needed.  
Chris shares his suspicions with the pack concerning their mysterious ally and Peter has to physically calm Stiles down before the young man literally explodes with enthusiasm. A Vampire, an honest to God, Vampire. Stiles has a million questions he wants to ask this mythical creature. The news spreads through the camp and suddenly mess hall conversation includes vigorous debates between “team Jacob” and “team Edward”.  
Peter mourns the death of intelligence and glares at Chris every chance he can because he’ll bet the hunter knew what would happen the moment he opened his mouth and voiced his suspicions. Chris for his part keeps silent but there is an extra twinkle in his eye whenever he’s on patrol with one of the younger teens.

___________________

 

In the end, it is Lydia who makes first contact with their reclusive protector.

Lydia and Aiden have come along as well as the pack. The Banshee had threatened to blow Stiles’ head off if he and Scott didn’t start letting her come on patrol.

Aiden vouched for her safety and they’d reluctantly agreed. They are on their way back to the compound, escorting a convoy of new arrivals when Lydia’s Banshee senses ‘tingle’. She has time to warn Stiles and Peter, who’s driving the Jeep, before the car in front of them swerves and she screams.

The car crashes into telephone post and they can hear the screams of the occupants as one of them attacks and the others desperately try and escape. Peter and Stiles slams on the brakes and they jump out, machete’s at hand to take care of the threat. There were three in the car and none will survive.

Lydia collapses against Aiden and it’s while she cries upon his shoulder that she glimpses their mysterious ally. The figure is dragging a body away behind the house beside the Jeep. Lydia nudges Aiden and they get out of the Jeep. Peter and Stiles have taken care of the zombie and its victims and are talking with Scott and Jackson who were leading the convoy. Aiden lets them know he’s taking Lydia away from the carnage to regroup. Scott tells them to be careful and then he and the remaining pack and survivors continue towards the compound.

______________________

 

The fourth pyre is at the South East corner of the boundary between the warning system and compound. Triple in size first and set in what once was a suburban playground and park. The Vampire stands in a circle of bodies. They hold a bloody sword in one hand and the head of zombie in the other. The head is throw casually away and the Vampire turns.

Stiles wants to cry because it looks like Stephanie Meyers was right. They sparkle! They are doomed!

Then he realizes that it is an optical illusion and it is skin healing itself from exposure to midday sunlight.  
The Vampire leans down and picks up a large floppy hat and overcoat, dresses itself and heads over to the relative shade of the house.

He bows to Lydia and speaks, “I am sorry you must bear such a burden. The dead should not walk the earth. It has taken me lifetimes to truly understand that simple fact.”

Lydia nods towards the unlit pyre in front of them, “You have another three to add.”

“There are always more to add,” he replies. He begins to walk towards the crashed car, Peter follows. They return with the bodies of the recent dead and they are added to the pyre. Scott and the rest of the convoy having already left for the compound.

_____________________

Stiles can’t contain himself any longer, “So, sunlight not a friend, what about garlic?” Lydia and Aiden stare in disbelief and Peter actually facepalms. The Vampire takes it in his stride.

“Sunlight is not a friend, nor is she an enemy, more like an inconvenience to be endured. While garlic is very tasty with certain meals I’ve yet to meet anyone that enjoys garlic breathe. Unfortunately I don’t shapeshift into any animal or smoke. My healing and strength are extraordinary and I do have superior hearing and night vision. I don’t “sparkle” and as far as I know neither I nor Dracula would ever reduce conversation to “blah, blah, blah”.”

“Oh. My. God. You actually liked Hotel Transylvania? What, wait a minute, Dracula exists, like for real??” Stiles grins manically, rolling back and forth on his feet. Peter puts a cautionary hand on his shoulder and Lydia and Aiden can’t believe their ears. Stiles doesn’t care one iota, this is his candy store and he’ll grab all the sweet knowledge he can.

“I have met one who might be called Dracula in my travels. I would like to speak with your Alpha if you could arrange a meeting,” The Vampire addresses Lydia and she nods, returning with Aiden to the car to call Scott and let them know of their unexpected guest.

While they do that, Peter and Stiles follow the Vampire as he walks around the funeral pyre and sets it alight. They stand watch until Lydia returns telling them that Scott will meet them back at the compound’s entrance.  
They turn to offer the Vampire a lift only to discover he’s vanished. They’re wondering whether they should call Scott when the unmistakable sounds of an Ice-Cream Van echo through the abandoned suburb. A battered “Scoop” van rumbles around the corner and parks behind their car. The Vampire waits while they return to their vehicle and then follows them to the compound.

_________________________

 

The youngest children are bitterly disappointed that there is no ice-cream in the Ice Cream Truck. Scott meets with the Vampire at the parking lot, his pack discreetly (and not so discreetly) circling the creature in case of trouble. Stiles gives Scott a look as if to say “serious overkill” but the Vampire for the most part ignores the wolves and humans gathered. He gets out of the van and walks towards the Alpha.

He has a plastic bag in one hand and what looks to be a thermos cup in the other. “Thank you for meeting me Alpha McCall. I apologize if my pyres have caused you concern.” He bows formally to Scott who nods in acknowledgement.

“Why have you been cremating the dead?” Stiles asks before Scott can reply. The Vampire raises an eyebrow and looks to Scott, who shrugs, and answers.

“I was in Portland when the virus broke out. When it became obvious that it was a pandemic I took my remaining descendant and their family and left. It was fortuitous they owned this vehicle. Until this “zombie apocalypse” they knew nothing of the supernatural. I made them uncomfortable. I left them in care of survivors at Salem and continued south. My original destination was Louisiana but then the government in their wisdom started bombing cities and my plans changed.”

The Vampire took a sip from his cup and the scent of bagged blood wafted briefly in the air. Scott’s eyes flared involuntary and the other wolves growled in warning. If the Vampire noted, he didn’t show any sign. Stiles moved back to stand beside Peter, keeping the humans (Chris, Allison and Melissa) behind them.

“That still doesn’t explain why you are here in Beacon Hills or why light the fires.” Scott calmly asked.

“A happy mix of accident and design. Or an unhappy mix, depends upon your moral viewpoint. Mostly, I have been able to survive by using blood banks. The hospitals were the first casualties of this apocalypse. If they weren’t overrun with the living dead, then they were often targeted by the desperate both as shelter and looting. By the time I got to Eugene I had fallen back into bad habits. So I headed East. It paid off, smaller towns and communities had succumbed more quickly to the virus. The zombies were easy to kill and often the hospitals or clinics still had good supplies of blood. I could control my need to feed. Then I started hearing rumors about Beacon Hills.”

“What rumors?” Chris asked. He and Allison had been communicating silently with one another and neither liked what they were hearing.

“I’d imagine the same ones that the latest arrivals heard. A town that was unaffected by the virus. A safe haven. I followed a convoy heading south, following the rumors. They weren’t very nice people. Feral and stupid,” The Vampire broke off telling his tale and a vicious look passed over his face.

“And dead?” Peter offered.

“Very. But they did give me a purpose, to protect anyone seeking this rumored sanctuary. I wasn’t quick enough to stop the last bandits I’d been following, but then I saw your pack in action. And I knew that here was a place that could offer sanctuary. So I watched and waited, to see if the hope would become a reality. When it did I made my home at the county line and began helping clean up the town for new arrivals.”

The Vampire handed Scott the plastic bag. Scott looked inside and found keys with tags attached to them. He held up one and read the street name and house number to which it belonged.

“Why not make yourself known immediately?” He asked.

“I drink blood Alpha McCall. While I can, and mostly do nowadays, survive on animal blood it weakens me. Beside Were-creatures and Vampires traditionally abhor each other. You have a unique and diverse community here but it’s not ready for the reality of what I am. The suburbs around the pyres are cleared of zombies for the most part. I cannot say whether or not more have come in because of them. But I doubt it. I went through the homes and removed any trace of death and rotted perishables. They are habitable should you need them. All I ask is to be allowed to live where I currently do and not be hunted.”

“We only hunt those who hunt us. Those who prey upon innocents, or those supernatural who are feral.” Allison stated.

“Then you will stay away from me, good.” The Vampire stated. Without further word he turned left. The wolves tracked him for block or two but then he vanished into the forest bordering the town. It was dangerous to follow, the dead could be heard groaning and making their way towards their burning brethren.

Scott wondered how they would keep in touch with Vampire but Lydia assured him that she would know when he needed to talk with The Alpha.

Peter and Stiles stayed behind. The others headed back to the compound to deal with the new arrivals.

________________________

As darkness fell the two watched as straggling zombies, drawn by the fire were mowed down and thrown upon its embers. Stiles was entranced by the Vampire, he was almost as an impressive killing machine as Peter. There was a grace in his movements and he wondered what the Vampire’s full strength was if this was what he considered a ‘weakened state’.

“The same as an Alpha Were – wolf or otherwise; greater depending upon the age of the Vampire.” Peter answered and Stiles figured he must have spoken aloud.

“And he’s pretty old, isn’t he” He stated. Peter just nodded in agreement. “That can’t be good.”

“Normally, I’d agree but I also know that once an agreement is reached that they hold fast to it. Lydia and He seemed to have come to an arrangement over and above what he outlined to Scott. We’ll have to wait and see but I think our young Banshee has herself another who’ll shield her from the whispers of the dead. That must be a good thing, don’t you think?” He said turning to Stiles. Standing up and holding out his hand to Stiles.

“How old do you think he is?” Stiles asked as Peter pulled him to his feet.

“I survived the Black Death.” The Vampire's voice sounded behind him and Stiles jumped six inches in the air as he turned to face a very bloody Vampire with something slung over his shoulder. Peter chuckled as he bought a hand up to steady the young man.

“Bells! Bells for the lot of you! Sneaking up on people like that. Not cool,” Stiles admonished the Vampire.

“I would prefer you didn’t young mage. I, for one, wouldn’t react well,” the Vampire answered calmly. He turned to Peter and held out the body of a freshly killed deer, “Normally my kills are left to rot but perhaps you could give this to your Alpha as a sign of good faith. I shall not need to feed for the remainder of the week.”

Peter took the buck and nodded. “Perhaps we could hunt together then. We will meet here at weeks end?”

“That would be acceptable.” The Vampire said and vanished into the night.

Peter hoisted the buck over his shoulder and marched Stiles quickly back to their vehicle. On the drive back to the main compound Stiles was unusually quiet. “700 years old, if he’s to be believed,” Stiles murmured to himself, “we don’t tell Scotty. No, better keep this to ourselves.”

Peter hummed in agreement. Zombie Apocalypse notwithstanding, allying with Vampires was a tricky business. Still, being able to hunt once again through the Preserve and forest territory might be worth the risk.


End file.
